Etiquette club names Rory McIlroy among “best-mannered” people

Not sure what’s more newsworthy, the fact that the National League of Junior Cotillions named Rory McIlroy one of its “Ten Best-Mannered People,” or the fact that a National League of Junior Cotillions exists in the year 2017.

Before we deal with the absurdity of choosing the chub-chucking, “ain’t my responsibility to grow the game” McIlroy winning an award for good manners, let’s learn a little more about the NLJC. The organization is designed to help young people:

“To act and learn to treat others with honor, dignity and respect for better relationships with family, friends and associates and [not making this part up] to learn and practice ballroom dance.”

Ballroom dance, of course. The collection of 300 local chapters is dedicated to teaching which fork to use and forms of address to whippersnappers from kindergarten through high school before they go on to conquer the world.

“The selections are made based on each person’s commitment to honor, dignity, and mannerly conduct,”said NJLC president Charles Winters. “We feel these ten individuals have distinguished themselves through excellence of character and conduct and applaud them for their contributions to society.”

Excellence of character? Contributions to society?

Olympic-skipper McIlroy’s “I don’t owe the game anything” attitude hardly speaks of a contribution to his game, let alone society. I suppose the NJLC stands and applauds the Rory Foundation, but hey 98% percent of the Tour has eponymous foundations. Let’s hear more about the good work they’re doing and make sure we’re not looking at a tax haven with a bloated operational budget before we pat the lad on the back too aggressively for allowing his people to set up a foundation in his name.

Losing his temper, spitting on Olympic golf on multiple occasions, backing out on the Turkish Airlines Open due to privileged concerns, threatening to fight a fan at the Ryder Cup.

…Not to mention how many at the buttoned-up NJLC must feel about ole Rors backing out of a marriage proposal.

None of this is to say Rory is analogous with another Rory (Sabbatini), but to say he goes above and beyond the pretty high bar of decorum on the PGA Tour? That doesn’t seem genuine.

But hey, the Cotillion has generated some exposure for its efforts. ???